Kinesio tape, known as K-tape, has been used by professional athletes for more than 25 years. These blue and black strips can be seen on the biceps of some NBA players or pink strips along the Achilles tendon of Olympic runners.                 

Dr. Kenzo Kase, a Japanese practitioner licensed in chiropractic and acupuncture, developed K-tape in the mid-1970s. After he donated it to participants in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, athletes all over the world watched and became curious about its benefits.

Unlike traditional sports tape that tends to restrict or limit motion, K-tape has an elasticity and texture similar to human tissue. Common uses for K-tape include reeducating the neuromuscular system, reducing pain, optimizing performance, preventing injury and promoting improved circulation and healing. The pain-reducing benefits are cited in a July 2012 BBC News article in which Kase claims that the K-tape “lifts the skin to assist lymphatic flow, which in turn reduces pain and swelling.”

Source: Dr. Meri Rosco. For more information, visit LiveWellChiropracticCare.com. See Community Resource Guide listing, page 59.